The United States capital, Washington, D.C. is a unique place rich with history and splendor. D.C. stands for District of Columbia. Washington D.C. is unique in that it isn't officially a state, simply a special district governed by the federal government to serve as a national capital. It was founded in 1791 by the first U.S. president, George Washington. The Potomac river flows through the district, and it is bordered by the states of Maryland and Virginia. The population of the district itself is just over 600,000, yet combined with the surrounding metropolitan areas, reaches over 5.5 million, making it the 7th largest in America. The district is also a diverse place, with the ethnic breakdown being 50% African American, 38% White, 9% Hispanic, and 3% Asian.

The district is host to a range of museums and monuments devoted to American culture and history, as well as foreign embassies representing most countries in the world. The Smithsonian museum, the worlds largest museum, is situated in the capital. It includes the National Air and Space museum, which houses many examples of space race and aeronautic firsts. The city is laden with fine examples of inspiring neoclassical and sometime Gothic architecture. Some famous landmarks in the district include the Washington monument, the 500 ft obelisk completed in the 1880s to commemorate Americas first president, George Washington. The Lincoln memorial sits across from it, honoring the 16th president Abraham Lincoln, famous for being the backdrop of MLK's memorable I Have a Dream speech. Also featured on the back of every U.S. penny. Some other notable landmarks include the Jefferson memorial, Vietnam memorial, and the FDR memorial. The Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution, two famous documents creating America, are also on display in the capitol.

The U.S. capitol building, with its grand white dome, is situated in D.C., where the branches of government come together to legislate laws for the entire country. The White House is of course located in D.C., where the president lives and works. The city is also home to Georgetown University, one of the oldest and most prestigious places of higher learning in the country, and the world for that matter. The economy of the city is diversified among the private and public sector, not totally government dependent as one might expect of a federal city mandated to be a capital. Many jobs from the business and service industries are based from the city. D.C. represents truly a unique city encapsulating the spirit of the American people.